The Mark Of Cain

he had littered the railway carriage were left unread: he had occupation enough in his own thoughts. Men are so made that they seldom hear even of a death witho

e novel emotions in his own heart, and of a new, rather painful, rather pleasant, kind of interest in another lady. Maitland, in fact, was becoming more human than he ga

e parent was out of the way, he felt that the daughter would not be more sorry than himself to revise the relations in which they stood to each other. Vanity might have prevented some men from seeing this; but Maitland ha

not at all imagine how he was to dispose of so embarrassing a protégée. Margaret was becomi

mentor, Bielby of St. Gatien's, as soon as might be. Too long had this Rasselas-occupied, like the famous Prince of Abyssinia, with the choice of life-neglected to resort to his academic Imlac. In the meantime he could only reflect

alf-melted snow. He had set out from Paddington by the half-past ten express, and a glance at the harsh and crabbed page of Bradshaw will prove to the most sceptical that Mai

s of Miss Marlett had secured the position for the night, and expected no visitors, though Maitland knew that he ought to be expected. "The bandogs bayed and howled," as they did round the secret bower of

ant?" said a female voice,

Marlett," ans

flect that a burglar would not arrive in a cab, and that

e chairs were so elegantly and cunningly constructed that they tilted up at intervals, and threw out the unwary male who trusted himself to their hospitality. Their backs were decorated with antimacassars wrought with glass beads, and these, in the light of one dip, shone fitfully with a frosty lustre. On the round table in the middle were volumes

eground was mainly composed of burnt-umber rocks, touched up with orange. The shadows in the pencil drawings had an agreeably brilliant polish, like that which, when conferred on fenders by Somebody's Patent Dome-Blacklead, "increases t

appeared, rustling in silks, very stiff,

he said, in an in

Didn't you get my tel

that his message might never have arrived, and that he might be

oth your telegrams. But

rse, and consult you about her. But w

y pale, and sat down wi

"and what will become of me? It will get talked ab

e could not bear to see a woman cry; and that Miss Marlett should cry-Miss Marlett, the least melting,

a flower in the pattern of th

to all; and Margaret's father, though his life was exposed to criticism, cannot be fairly censured because he has left it And what do you mean, please, by receiving both my

ith your friend," said Miss Marlett, raising a face at once

g with my friend!" repeated Maitl

your second that you were detained, and that your friend and her father's frie

friend, Mr. lithgow," cried Maitlan

ill show you both telegrams," cried Miss Marlett,

absent, in search of th

unaccountable change in

o had any conceivable

moment of her father's

ces of accident or fraud

when he was certain th

lism contain no story o

ng in his sleep. Then

inal despatch, as he w

and that the imaginativ

memory, and, like the

i

te it all

r wrote

tually departed, and (what was worse) had gone off with "his friend, Mr. Lithgow." Clearly, no amount of

iew of his own interests. His own personality was not elevated enough to command the whole field of human conduct. He was always making allowances for people, and never felt able to believe himself absolutely in the right, and everyone else absolutely in the wrong.

st she returned, pale and trembling, with a telegraphic despatch in her hand, but not alone. She was accompanied by a blonde and agitated young

you have seen on other occasions,"

t did occur to him, that the fewer people knew of so

iss Shields' greatest friend" (here Janey sobbed), "but chiefly because

s a most extraordinary affair, and we ought to lose no time in investigating it, and discovering its meaning

ot live up to the stately tone of Maitland. "I haven't got them, or rather, I o

e dispatch, and the flimsy pink p

ok it up an

t 7.45. Rec

Maitland to

ecot, Co

ver

row, leaving b

argaret see

r dead. B

d Maitland; "but what have you done

morning. I cannot believe anyone would touch it. I did not lock them away, not expecting to

n the strength of the later of the two you let your pupil go away with a person of whom you know nothing, and then

, who felt the weakness of her case. "They were both sent up

pes lying among your letters at breakfast. I mentioned it

rams not delivered last

ome, always telegraphing about nothing in particular, and costing a fortune. These telegrams were very important, of course; but nothing more could have been done about them if

es, and are afflicted with careless friends whose touch on the w

o ask me to confirm the instructions, when

strength of his own case. It was certainly very strong, an

n unexpected and welcome ally to Miss Marlett-"because you must hav

nd Miss Marlett could not repress a grateful

king, and very serious. Can you remember at

half an hour later. It ran: 'Plans altered. Margaret required in town. My friend and her father

the office from which t

r head with an effort at recollecti

walking vaguely up and down the room. "Do

erywhere, and ask

see it last,

m when I went out to make sure that Margaret

as this Mr.

in my room, trying to warm h

But how he came to know anything about the girl, or what possible motive he can have had-" muttered Maitland to himself.

, and how they may manage it, Mr. Maitland,"

me in. I saw him first, out of the window. Margaret was very unhappy; she had been crying. I said, 'Here's a gentleman in furs, Margaret

a man was he

went up to his eyes almost, and he was not a young man. He was a gentleman," said Janey, who flattered

w him again if

Janey; "and I wou

y a few words to her, in a very kind way, about him. That seemed more comfort to Margaret than anythi

a-," and Maitland paused rather awkwardly. There was, perhaps, no necessity for adding to the public information about t

made drowsy by snow and fatigue is as painle

t the man must have me

gered, trying to think over any circumstance which might lend a

for it; and when Maitland rejoined his cabman (who had been refreshed by tea), a kind of informal treaty of peace was concluded between Janey and the schoolmistress. After all, it appeared to Miss Marlett (and correctly) that the epistle from the young officer whom Janey regarded as a brother was a natural and harmless communication. It chi

would have sufficient sense and good feeling to hold her peace; and if she did not do so of her own accord, no vow

n removed by one of her friends. As for Maitland, he was compelled to pass the night at Tiverton, revolving many memories. He had now the gravest reason for anxiety about the girl, of whom he was the o